At last the tender came sidling
down the slope of a wave, the occupants striving hard at the oars, and
after one breathless moment, during which it seemed that the little boat
would be crushed to splinters against the old black hull of the
schooner, Joe caught the painter, Steve made a flying leap for the deck
and gained it in safety, and Phil, boat-hook in hand, worked manfully
and skilfully to fend off while the cables were brought aboard. The
dingey had fetched food as well and a shout of joy went up as Phil,
taking advantage of the calm moments between the rushing waves, hurled
the bundles to the deck.
There was little time for conversation, for darkness was coming fast,
but Steve heard a brief account of the _Catspaw's_ experiences, and,
while helping to make fast the cables, told of the night aboard the
_Adventurer_. "It was fierce," Steve said. "No one had much sleep, I
guess. We almost pitched on our nose time and again. If it hadn't been
for you chaps we'd have cut and run about midnight. We lost sight of
your lights several times; they were so low in the water, and thought
that you'd gone down at first. The _Follow Me_ had to run for it, and I
guess they weren't very happy either. But we'll make it this time.
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